Vietnam Coast Guard Reports Nearly 450,000 Students Participated in Maritime Contest

The Vietnam Coast Guard held a summary conference in Hanoi for the national final and gala awards ceremony of the "Children Love Our Seas and Islands" contest for the 2025-2026 academic year. It was revealed that approximately 450,000 students participated in this competition. Lieutenant General Bui Quoc Oai, Political Commissar of the Coast Guard, attended and provided guidance at the conference. This contest aims to raise maritime awareness among Vietnamese youth and deepen their interest in the country's maritime domain, particularly its islands, where sovereignty issues are involved. Participants expressed their understanding of marine environmental protection and Vietnam's maritime sovereignty through various forms such as drawing, writing, and singing. The Coast Guard intends to foster awareness among future generations to protect and develop the nation's maritime interests through the implementation of this contest. Additionally, the conference also summarized the two-year implementation of the Coast Guard's "Project 3934." Vietnam faces complex challenges, including sovereignty disputes in the South China Sea (referred to as the "East Sea" in Vietnamese), sustainable use of fishery resources, and marine environmental protection. In this context, cultivating the interest and attachment of the people, especially the youth, towards the sea is a crucial element in executing the nation's maritime strategy. The Vietnamese government, under its one-party system, emphasizes educational activities to enhance patriotism, and this contest can be seen as part of that effort.